


Princeling

by Iris_Reid92



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: BAMF Minerva McGonagall, F/M, Good Malfoys, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall & Severus Snape Friendship, Morally Grey Harry Potter, Morally Grey Severus Snape, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Severitus | Severus Snape is Harry Potter's Parent, Severus Snape Adopts Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:21:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29658876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iris_Reid92/pseuds/Iris_Reid92
Summary: After seeing what the Dursley’s are when it comes to Muggles, Professor Minerva McGonagall makes the judgment call to take Harry in before the worse can happen.
Relationships: Aberforth Dumbledore & Harry Potter, Aberforth Dumbledore & Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall & Harry Potter, Minerva McGonagall & Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall/Aberforth Dumbledore, Severus Snape/Original Female Character
Comments: 13
Kudos: 60





	1. Chapter 1

“He just left him there Abe,” Minerva McGonagall told Aberforth Dumbledore after hours at the Hog’s Head.

It is November the first, way to early in the morning to be drinking fire whiskey and yet the occasion called for it.

“What did he say about the muggles who are supposed to be the boy’s family?” Aberforth asked in awe at what his brother was doing.

Minerva shrugged as she sipped at her drink.

“Did he not care?” He asked at awe, “He’s just a boy!”

Minerva shrugged again and said, “There needs to be a way for the blood wards to protect the boy without leaving him there.”

“I’ll call Severus,” Aberforth said and moved the floor leaving a flabbergasted Minerva at the bar wondering why Severus was needed. 

“I knew I should have taken the boy,” an exasperated Severus said taking a seat next Minerva. 

“Did you warn Albus against having Harry placed there as well?” Minerva asked in awe at the Severus who’s shoulders would hit the floor if they could. 

Severus nodded mutely at her before thanking Aberforth for his drink. 

“I warned him that leaving Harry there would end with the child in more than some trouble through his life,” he said downing half his measure in one swallow. 

“It can’t truly be because they are muggles Severus,” she said affronted that it was a blood problem. 

“Petunia Durslely nee Evans,” he said voice dark as his eyes looked far away, “She was horribly jealous of Lily, to the point where it led to horrible angry envy.”

Her eyes widened at this revelation and sputtered, “You don’t really think that–”

“She will take out her anger on a harmless, guiltless child?” Severus finished for her, “Yes.”

Aberforth, who was standing behind the bar in front of the duo shook his head at this remember how it was for his dear Arianna. How her attack led to worse and how the same could happen to Harry for the fact that he is magic. 

“Which bring’s forth the question of, what are were going to do?” Minerva said after downing the last of her drink.

“It’s still dark out,” Aberforth said voice filled with conviction at what he was about to propose, “If you want to stop something before it happens now is the time to take him while in the cover of darkness.”

“Aberforth, are you suggesting what I think you are?” Minerva asked incredulously. 

Meanwhile Severus stood and transfigured his handkerchief into a Moses basket being mindful that it was well insulated. A thestrals would have to do it would look odd if he was seen getting a broom at this time of the night especially by the Headmaster. 

“I am Min,” the older man said, “I’ve seen what can happen if a child withholds their magic once, I’ll not have this happen a second time if I can help it.”

Minerva nodded and gave him a soft grateful grin before shifting to her animals form. The tabby jumped in the basket, much to the dark wizard’s chagrin, and settled.

“What will you do Aberforth?” Severus asked before leaving the establishment. 

“We’re going to need a place to keep the babe,” Aberforth said thoughtfully, “I’ll take the time to see where we can go that is quiet enough for a babe to be raised. It will most likely have to be a muggle town.”

“We will discuss it when we return,” Severus said, “Go to my home in Spinner’s End. Should be a good place to start before your brother catches wind of anything.”

Aberforth nodded and began closing and locking down the place before flopping away. 

Severus looked down at the tabby and said, “This war has taken enough lives. Let’s not waste another.”

Minerva nodded and lay down letting the man make his way to the Forbidden Forest to the heard of thestrals that was there.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Realizations are made by Minerva on some things.

“We need to find a way to read the Potter will,” Severus said as he landed the thestrals a few ways away from the actual neighborhood. It wouldn’t do them any good to be seen by anyone. 

Minerva meowed from her place in the basket, her way of agreeing to what he’d said. 

“Lead the way, Minerva,” he said putting the basket down.

She looked up at him and blinked owlishly, “Meow.”

He sighed exasperatedly and said, “I’m not carrying you.”

“Meow,” she patted the edge of the basket.

He sighed and grabbed the basket handles making sure the thestrals stayed where they’d landed before following Minerva’s meowing down the road to the house. 

It wasn’t hard to miss and he rolled his eyes when he found the shivering bundled that is one year old Harry Potter.

“He didn’t even bother placing a warming charm on him!?” Seethed Severus in a whisper. 

Minerva looked down in shame. She had not considered doing so and thought Albus had done it while she was calming Hagrid down. She should have double-checked.

“Don’t worry yourself sick Minerva,” Severus whispered, “Albus wouldn’t be Albus if he didn’t have everyone’s unconditional blind trust and admiration as the leader of the light.”

She lay in the basket still in disbelief at herself for not checking. 

He picked up the shivering babe and placed him beside Minerva who wiggled under the blanket to help warm Harry.

Severus placed a mild warming charm on Harry and pocketed the letter before making his way to where the thestrals are and fly to Cokeworth. 

Aberforth greeted them in the backyard as the thestral landed smoothly as to not wake the babe.

“If you can sit with him by the fire and bring his body temperature up some before unraveling him from the blanket,” Severus instructed carefully passing the basket to Aberforth who looked more than a little surprised at seeing where Minerva lay dozing next to the babe who had a death grip on her fur. 

“She’s almost as asleep as the babe,” Aberforth said in awe. 

“I’d watch out if I were you,” Severus warned, “We found the babe shivering and not a hint or residue of a warming charm.”

Aberforth’s eyes widened in wonder at that, “Did he not…?”

Severus shook his head and flew off to Hogwarts leaving Aberforth alone with a baby and a probably very pissed off tabby. 

He made his way back inside to Severus’ sitting room and did as was told. 

Minerva managed to get out of Harry’s hold and jumped out of the basket. 

“Minerva,” Aberforth began, “It’s not your fault.”

Minerva shook her fur out at that and jumped on the sofa next to him. 

Aberforth dared to lay a hand on her back. 

The baby cooed in his sleep. 

Aberforth shifted in his seat and picked up the bundle from the Moses basket. 

Minerva meowed as Aberforth unraveled the babe from his blanket, after making sure his temperature was alright. 

“He’s alright Pet,” Aberforth said tenderly as he ran his fingers over her coat, “Best not wake him dear.”

Just as he said this, the babe yawned and his Lily green eyes shown as the fire made them almost glow. 

Minerva let out a cat-like scoffed laugh and jumped off the sofa to step into the hallway. 

“No need to laugh,” Aberforth said with a gruff as a now human Minerva walked in her outer cloak in hand. 

He gave the babe a gentle bounce as Minerva set her cloak down and took a seat beside him. 

“I do hope he’s not as headfirst as his father,” Minerva said running a knuckle gently down the one-year-old’s cheek. 

“He’s going to be a pleasant mix of his parents I think,” Aberforth said with a knowing nod. 

Harry got wiggly so Abe picked him up underneath his armpits and stood him on his lap allowing the babe to wave his arm around. 

“You might need to shave,” Minerva said giving his shoulder a gentle shove.

“I can finally take this blasted glamour off then,” he said with a grateful sigh as he continued bouncing the babe. 

“What do you mean?” Minerva asked curiously not having known this. 

“There came a point during his time with one Gellert Grindelwald that he got it in his head that I took too much to our mother in looks. Grindelwald took it upon himself to modify my physical appearance to look more like Albus.”

“And you’ve never taken it off?” Minerva said in numb shock at his revelation. 

He shook his head and said, “I didn’t see the need for it. Albus didn’t do or say anything especially after he was deemed second to Merlin himself after his fight with Grindelwald.”

“You must have been a lady killer then,” Minerva said trying to lighten up the mood. 

He shrugged at that and focused on keeping Harry from tugging at his beard. 

Minerva observed as Aberforth stood placing the lad on his hip and lit up the room with a wave of his hand. 

“Aren’t you a charming babe eh?” he said talking to Harry in a soft and tender tone. 

“You’re avoiding the question,” she said pursing her lips one brow in the air. 

He gave a very un-Dumbledore shrug and kept his attention on the baby.

“Come now Abe,” she said softly, as to not upset Harry, “What is it?”

“Nothing, really,” he said honestly tickling Harry under his chin causing the babe to giggle. 

Minerva looked like she was going to push on one matter. Luckily for him though, a tired-looking Severus came through the fire looking like he’d run a marathon and was breathing like it too.

“Pardon my lateness,” he said trying to catch his breath, “Your brother is on a rampage this evening and is most likely going to hold an Order meeting these days. Aside from that, I don’t think he suspects anything.”

The older couple nodded at this and sighed in relief. When it came to Albus they had some time before anything needed to be rushed. 

“What should we do then?” Minerva asked clearly out of her element. 

Aberforth adjusted his hold on Harry as the babe got antsy.

“Yes, lad?” He asked the babe as he plopped him on his bottom atop the table.

Harry pointed to Severus and extended his arms to him. 

Severus gave in to the boy and took him from Aberforth’s arms. 

The two stared at each other. One in curiosity and the other clearly at a loss as to what to do from there. Severus for his part, took this time to do some introspection. Not only regarding how he feels or will feel, towards Harry, but also towards his parents and their respective friends. Also what this will mean for when the Dark Lord would ultimately return, as Albus so kindly told him on his way back to Spinner’s End after flying in on the thestral. 

There was no love lost between him and James Potter, he knew that. But he also knew he’d never condemn a child for the sins of the father. And like hell would he let Albus poison him against Harry for looking like James and having Lily’s eyes. The same eyes staring at him in wonder and curiosity. He could see them in Harry’s eyes…James and Lily. Severus isn’t a fool, he knew that this boy would always carry both as their son. He would always miss his friend and childhood love. And knew he’d care for her son as if he were his own son. As it shall be. 

“Before we begin…” Severus said with a deep sigh, “There is something you both must know.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Truths are revealed.

“As you both know,” Severus began tensely, “Lily and I had been friends since childhood…”

The older couple nodded at this, Aberforth looked serene as he put two and two together as to what Severus was going to say. He’d seen the desolate and forsaken look on the young lad’s face when he’d come into the Hog’s Head after having heard the prophecy. Abe also knew this was something he had to get out. The ins and outs of everything from henceforth regarding them and their raising of little Harry would have to revolve around planning for the future in a way Albus wouldn’t think of doing.

Minerva fell onto her seat on the sofa tears falling as the story Severus told unfolded truths and untruths. Anger flashed through her eyes and was about to stand and curse him, as Severus thought he deserved when Abe put a hand on her shoulder and stopped him.

“Calm down,” he said firmly, “Yes he did wrong, he knows he did wrong and it is why he is telling us now.”

Minerva turned her burning gaze to him and incredulously asked, “You know of this? Of him taking his mark?”

Abe nodded heavily and said, “I was also there when he sat at my inn drinking away nightmares brought on by your favorite gryffs. Let’s not lay all the eggs in one basket Minerva, you know that those boys did a number on him from the moment they got off the express.”

Minerva looked like she wanted to argue but remembered how subdued Severus looked after the events of one night where she had been told, he met one Remus Lupin in his werewolf form. 

“I’m not telling you this for your sympathy,” Severus said evenly, “I’m giving you all the information Albus may or may not have given you and the order.”

The room grew quiet apart from the cooing babe in Severus’ arms.

Minerva sighed and asked, “What made you get it?”

Severus got this far away look in his eyes as he remembers his initiation, “The promise of great power, prestige, glory. I was promised all I could ever want despite my blood status. Things I thought were out of my reach because of how low the so-called marauders had dragged me.”

Minerva closed her eyes as she recalled the times she escorted him to the hospital wing, the times she did not believe her claims that James and his group had _something_ in their possession that gave told them where he was. She should have taken those claims seriously, but Albus…

“Albus always claimed they were child’s games,” Minerva said looking up at Severus wide-eyed, “He’d always said that it was boys being boys and that there was nothing wrong with that.”

Severus’ face lowered as he heard this. He’d known that that was what Albus had said, he knew that he’d always be the one at fault in the Headmaster’s eyes…all because of the house he was sorted in.

“Albus did a lot of things based on house Minerva,” Aberforth said knowingly, “It wouldn’t surprise me if there were ideas the other heads of house have had to implement on their own houses but have gone forgotten because Albus was focused on his lions.”

Minerva gave a heavy sigh as she came to terms with what actions or lack thereof can do to influence the young.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself Minerva,” Severus said approaching her cautiously, “There was only so far a poor lad could do.”

Minerva glared at him weakly, “Yer father abused ya lad…and we as protectors of the young in our care did nuthin to ascertain yer safety in and out of school.”

The men nodded at this and knew that this would be something Minerva would spend time applying…aid for those that came from abusive homes. This he could help with, especially when it comes to some of his snakes. 

“This will need to be handled in house between us and the other heads, maybe even keep it as far away from Albus as possible,” Severus said carefully in thought. 

“A mutiny?” Minerva asked half-interested half incredulous.

“In a way,” Severus said a small smirk on his face, “At least this way the students stand a chance.”

Minerva nodded at this and looked to Harry to find him snoozing on Severus’ chest.

“What?” Severus asked at Minerva’s smirk.

She nodded to Harry.

Severus looked down and saw the babe snuggled into his side his little fist holding on tightly to his frock coat. 

“We need to have that will read and soon,” Severus said leaving no room for argument, “For now let’s rest. I had my childhood bedroom converted to the guest room, you might have to transfigure something to sleep on since there’s only one bed. And if you need the restroom it's at the end of the hall.”

Abe swallowed his hope and nodded his thanks turning to Minerva.

“Shall we my dear?” He asked motioning to the stairs.

She nodded looking worse for wear from the night filled with adventure and turned to leave the room when she turned to Severus.

“We leave as early as we can for Gringotts tomorrow,” she said firmly, “The sooner we read that will, the sooner we get, our still fledgling, plan into action.”

With this said, the trio and babe made their way upstairs. Severus to his own room and the older couple went to his childhood room.

In his room, Severus transfigured a makeshift crib for the babe from the chair that sat by the window where he carefully set the sleeping infant inside. He could have sworn as the babe startled awake and looked as if he would cry. Severus took the babe back in his arms and took notice of how the boy seemed to snuggle into him and got an idea. He took off his outer robe and wrapped the infant in it as a makeshift blanket. The blanket the babe came wrapped in would do as a “mattress” for the night.

He sighed in relief as he set the babe back in the bassinet wrapped in his cloak. He gave the babe a small grin and ran a finger down the boy’s cheek.

“Now sleep you, little scamp,” he said quietly with no malice behind it.

Severus sighed heavily and went to his on-suite letting the events of the evening pull him to the floor as the loss of his best friend came to the forefront of his mind. Tears fell and he just barely had enough time to set up a silencing charm on his door before the sobs took hold. 

Meanwhile, Aberforth had transfigured an empty drawer to a cot while Minerva used the bathroom. 

“What on earth are you doing?” He heard from behind him as he fixed the cot blanket. 

He sighed and turned to Minerva who had her hands on her hips.

“You’ll take the bed of course,” he said as he sat on the cot.

She pursed her lips at him as if he were one of her first years.

“We are grown enough to share are we not?” She asked brow raised.

Abe blushed under the still long beard and mustache and said, “I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I didn’t at least attempt to leave you the bed as it should be.”

Minerva sighed and rolled her eyes at him.

“You are an unmarried lass Minerva,” he said trying to gain some footing, “And in our still Victorian thinking magical world would skin me alive and burn you at the stake for such…actions.”

She surprised him by laughing and asking, “And is this not an old way of thinking?”

Abe laughed along with her at this throwing caution to the wind and said, “A man would like to at least properly court his lass without the temptation of laying beside her being dangled in front of his nose.”

Minerva’s eyes widened and her jaw slacked at this confession. 

Abe waited on bated breath to see if she accepted this or if he’ll have to set his wants for her to rest.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you guys think!!


End file.
